Vehicle door lock safety latching systems

ABSTRACT

This latching system comprises a control member with, for each door, a coil movable axially between a pair of ferrite disks, the reversal of current in the coil causing the reversal of the direction of travel thereof, all the coils being connected in parallel to the output terminals of at least one four-pole reversing switch of the transistory action, front-contact type, connected to a source of current, the control member constituting a compact unit independent of the door lock, said reversing switch being adapted to be actuated by means of either an external key for the front door lock or a control member accessible from the interior of the vehicle.

United States Patent Inventors Alain Cabancs;

Andre Leteuvre, both of Billancourt,

France Appl. No. 36,113

Filed May 11, 1970 Patented Oct. 12, 1971 Assignees Regie Nationale desUsines Renault Billancourt (Hauts de Seine), France; Automobiles PeugeotParis, France Priority May 19, 1969 France 69/ 16090 VEHICLE DOOR LOCKSAFETY LATCHING SYSTEMS 7 Claims, 7 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 180/112, 70/264, 335/229 Int. E05b /36 Field /264; 292/l44,20l;l/103, 104, [12;317/134; 335/229, 230

mean; Cited Primary Examiner-Albert G. Craig, Jr. Attorney-Stevens,Davis, Miller 81 Mosher ABSTRACT: This latching system comprises acontrol member with, for each door, a coil movable axially between apair of ferrite disks, the reversal of current in the coil causing thereversal of the direction of travel thereof, all the coils beingconnected in parallel to the output tenninals of at least one four-polereversing switch of the transistory action, frontcontact type, connectedto a source of current, the control member constituting a compact unitindependent of the door lock, said reversing switch being adapted to beactuated by means of either an external key for the front door lock or acontrol member accessible from the interior of the vehicle.

1 VEHICLE DOOR LOCK SAFETY LATCHING SYSTEMS This invention relates toelectromagnetic latching devices for simultaneously locking aidreleasing all the doors of a motor vehicle, while permitting theautomatic unlatching orreieae ofall door loclts in case ofcrash.

Safety latching systems are already known, notably in the freld ofautomotive vehicles, which comprise electromagnets built in the doorcontrol locks and are adapted to actuate the safety latch of said locks.However, these known systems are attended by the followinginconveniences:

As the electromagnet strokes are relatively short, the locks associatedtherewith must be specially designed and have extremely closemanufacturing tolerances, and the electromagnet must be incorporated inthe lock to avoid the faulty operation likely to be caused by theusually broad tolerances admitted in coachworlt construction. Assembliesbased on these principles are rather cumbersome and therefore difficultto accommodate in the doors of conventional vehicles.

It is also known loose, as a means for controlling the door releaseaction, a pair of coaxial coils provided with cores and having disposedtherebetween a permanent magnet (or ferrite) connected to a safety latchbolt. However, in these systems the magnetic force exerted on the boltdecreases during the movement, due to the asymmetric arrangement of theelements creating the electromagnetic fields of which the interactionproduces said force.

It is the essential object ofthe present invention to provide a simpleand economical solution to the problems set forth hereinabove whileavoiding the inconveniences explained in the foregoing. The arrangementaccording to this invention is capable, interalia:

of latching or releasing all the doors of the vehicle from within, byactuating a lever mounted on one or the other of the front doors, thislever controlling a switch incorporated in the lock means and thusadapted to provide a safety action against crimin'al attempts andreferred to as antitheft device" in certain countries.

of providing an additional safety against tampering by children, sincenone of the reissue control means are accessible from the rear seats.

This invention is applicable to a system for electromagneticallylatching and unlatching or releasing all the door locks of a motorvehicle wherein at lent one of the doors is locked by means of anexternal key, each door being provided with a pivoting member forlatching the door opening control device. This latch member is connectedthrough a link to a control member comprising a coil having a magneticyoke orspool guided between a pair of coaxial ferrite disks or permanentmagnets axially magnetized and so directed that their action on the coilis additive, the reversal of the current flow through the coil beingattended by the reversal of the direction of movement of this coil.

In their gap, the flux lines of the magnetic field created by the coilare strongly bent due to the presence of a soft-iron yoke or caseenclosing the magnetic circuit of the ferrites. Thus, the value of theflux intersected by the coil is very considerable.

This invention is characterized in that all the coils are mounted inparallel to the two output terminals of at least one four-pole reversingswitch of the transitory and front-contact type of which the two inputterminals are connected to the two terminals of the DC source of thevehicle, said control member being designed as a compactunit independentof the door lock, said reversing switch being controlled on the one handby the external lock key of one of the front doors and on the other handby a control member accessible from the interior of the vehicle.

According to another feature characterizing this invention the reversingswitch has three positions, namely one mechanically stable open positionleaving all the coils deenergised, and

two closed positions controlling the energization ofall the coils andwhich cannot be maintained unless a voluntary action is exerted by theuser, the direction of the energizing current through the coilsdepending on selected closed position of the reversing switch, oneposition being the door latching position and the other the doorreleasing position.

The fact of designing the control members in the form of a compact unitseparate from the lock permits disregarding coachwork tolerances, andtherefore this system is applicable to most of existing vehicle doorlock mechanisms.

Finally, the rear doors Ieequipped with visual indicators displaying thelatched or unlatched condition of the corresponding door, thcseindicators being controlled by the latch member of the correspondingdoor.

Other features and advantages of this invention will appear as thefollowing description proceeds with reference to the accompanyingdrawing illustrating diagrammatically by way of example a typical formof embodiment of the safety door latching system of this invention,stress being laid on the fact that this system is applicable to allknown vehicle door lock types, whether of the releasablepushbutton-type, roller lock, etc. Therefore, the exemplary door lockdescribed hereinafter should not be construed as limiting the invention.In the draw- FIG. 1 illustrates the wiring diagram of the coil controlsystem in the case of a four-door motor vehicle;

FIG. 2 is an axial section showing a control member and the relativearrangement of its component elements;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of a known and common lock type equippedwith a latching member and a lock switch according to this invention;

FIG. 4 is a section taken across the front door of a vehicle to show therelative positions of the control member, reversing switch and meanscontrolling this switch;

FIG. 5 is a separate view of the reversing switch, shown in theinoperative position, without the cover;

, FIG. 6 is a section taken along the line Vl-Vl of FIG. 5, showing themanual control member accessible from within the vehicle, and

FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic illustration of the momentary actuation of thereversing switch by the release or unlatching member.

Referring first to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawing it will be seen thateach door has mounted therein an electromagnetic device I for actuatingthe safety latch. In this device a pair of ferrite disks 2, 3 aremounted in aligned, coaxial relationship on a tubular plasticdistance-piece and case 4, with the faces of same polarity turnedtowards each other. A coil 5 having a magnetic yoke or spool 6 is rigidwith a nonmagnetic shaft 7 adapted to slide through central apertures 8fonned in the pair of ferrite disks 2,3. The two ends of the coilwinding 5 are connected through flexible conductors 9, 10 to a pair ofconnecting terminals ll, 12. A soft-iron, yoke-forming case 13 closesthe magnetic circuits of each ferrite 2, 3.

When energin'ng current flows through the coil 5, assuming that terminal11 is connected to the tenninal and terminal 12 to the terminal of thestorage battery 14 of the motor vehicle (not shown), this coil isrepelled by one ferrite disk 2 and attracted by the other ferrite disk3. If the polarity of terminals I1 and 12 is reversed, the coil 5 isrepelled by ferrite disk 3 and attracted by ferrite disk 2. The coillength is not greater than half the distance between the two ferritedisks; the axial distance between the two ferrite disks 2, 3 beinggreater than their diameter. The resultant force exerted on the coilremains practically constant irrespective of its position between thetwo ferrite disks.

As clearly apparent from FIGS. 3 and 4 on the drawing the shaft 7 isadapted to actuate through a low-inertia link 15 the latch member 16 ofthe lock mounted in a door 17.

This latch member 16 is that or one of those also adapted to be actuatedfrom the exterior of the vehicle by means of the usual key l8 engaging apin tumbler cylinder 19 which, during its rotation, carries along ashaft 20 carrying a radial projection 21 adapted to engage an elongatedhole 22 formed in the aforesaid latch member 16.

This latch member I6 is adapted to latch the lock control device asfollows: a lever 23 adapted to be actuated by means of the externalpushbutton 2.3 of door 17 is operatively connected to a bolt (not shown)so that when the lever 23 rotates about the axis 24 in the direction ofthe arrow f, (FIG. 4) the door [7 is unlocked and opened. A spring 25associated with lever 23 constantly urges the latter to its door lockingcondition.

In the position illustrated in FIG. 4 the latch member 16 is pivoted toextend across the path of the upper arm of lever 23 and thus prevent thepivotal movement of this lever and consequently the unlocking of door17.

However, this lever 23 may also be actuated by means of another lever 26operatively connected to an inner control member (not shown). Thepivotal movement of this lever 26 about the pivot pin 27 in thedirection of the arrow f, (FIG. 3) causes at the same time the unlockingand opening of the door 17 as a consequence of the sedan exerted by theupper arm of this second lever 26 on that of the first lever 23.

On the other hand, the lower arm of lever 26 carries a stud 28 adaptedto engage a stop member 29 carried by the latch member 16 so that thelatter is firstly moved outside the path of lever 23, the upper arm oflever 26 subsequently bringing the lever 23 to its door unlocking andopening position.

At its lower portion the latch member 16 comprises a heel 30 adaptedduring its angular excursion to engage a projection 31 carried by theouter end of a lever arm 32 controlling the operation of a four-polereversing selector switch 33 of the transistory, front-contact type.

As shown in FIGS. and 6, the movable member of this switch 33 consistsof a pivoting control shaft 34 of plastic material, rotatably mounted ina case 35 also of plastic material, the inner end of this shaft 34carrying the lever arm 32 provided with said projection 31.

A spring 36 constantly urges the arm 32 to its intermediate, inoperativeposition. The shaft 34 carries a pair of contact members 37 and 38consisting each of a metal blade 39 supporting a pair of contact studs40, 41 In the inoperative position these contact studs lie intermediatethe pair of fixed input contacts 42, 43 and the pair of fixed outputcontacts 44, 45 of reversing switch 33, without engaging these contacts,the latters having connecting terminal extensions.

A control member consisting of a handle 46 rigid with the splinded end47 of shaft 34 is accessible from the interior of the vehicle.

The wiring diagram of FIG. 1 illustrates the general disposal of thedoor control coils 5 connected in parallel to the terminals 44 and 45 ofthe pair of reversing switches 33 of the front doors of the vehicle.

The terminals 42 and 43 of these reversing switches are connected to theterminals of the current source 14 of the vehicle.

When the reversing switch 33 is moved from its intermediate, inoperativeposition 32m to position 32: (or 324) of FIG. 7, the terminals 1 l and12 of coils 5 are connected to the and -l-. terminals (or and of storagebattery 14, the direction of flow of the current through the coilscorresponding to the latching movement (or unlatching or releasemovement).

The electric circuit further comprises an inertia switch 48 adapted,when closed, to connect the output tenninals 44 and 45 of switch 33 tothe and terminals of battery 14. All the coils 5 are thus energized witha current circulating in the door unlatching direction. This normallyopen switch 48 is adapted to close automatically when a relativelystrong shock is applied to the vehicle.

It is clear that a short energization of coil 5 through any one of theswitches 33 equipping the front doors of the vehicle permits latching orreleasing all the door locks, according to the direction of flow of theenergizing current, which direction depends on the direction in whichsaid reversing switches 33 are rotated.

The two latched and unlatched or released positions of the lock systemare maintained by the magnetic attraction produced between the magneticspool 6 of coil 5 and the ferrite, 2 or 3.

The shafl 34 of reversing switch 33 may be actuated by anyone of thefollowing procedures:

When the door lock key 18 is rotated, the latching member 16 is pivotedto its operative or latching position (or altemately to its unlatchingposition, according to the direction of rotation). The heel 30 of thislatch member carries along the projection 31 rigid with shaft 34, thuscausing the lever 32 to be tilted to position 32c (or 324) and closingthe latching circuit (or the unlatching circuit). At the end of themovement of latch member 16 the projection 31 of lever 32 of reversingswitch 33 escapes from the heel 30 of latch member 16 and the shaft 34is restored to its inoperative position by the spring 36 of reversingswitch 33, thus deenergizing the coils 5.

The same result is also obtained by turning one of the control handles46 of reversing switch 33.

Of course, various modifications and variations may be brought to thespecific form of embodiment of the present invention which is shown anddescribed herein, without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention as set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

I. A system for electromagnetically latching and unlatching the lockedand unlocked condition of all the doors of a vehicle, at least one ofthe front doors being adapted to be locked by means of an external key,each door comprising to this end a pivoting latch member for latchingthe door opening control device, said latch member being connectedthrough a link to a control member comprising a coil adapted to beenergised from a current source of the vehicle and movable between apair of coaxial aligned ferrite disks or permanent magnets having anaxial magnetization and so directed that the action exerted by saidfenites or permanent magnets on the coil is additive, the reversal ofthe current flow through the coil being attended by a reversal of themovement of said coil, this system being characterized in that all thecoils are connected in parallel to the pair of output terminals of atleast one four-pole reversing switch of the transitory-action,front-contact type, of which the pair of input terminals are connectedto the two terminals of the source of current of the vehicle saidcontrol member constituting a compact unit separate from the lock, saidreversing switch being adapted to be actuated on the one hand by meansof the external key provided for locking one of the front doors, throughthe medium of the corresponding latch member, and on the other hand bymeans of a control member accessible from the interior of the vehicle.

2. Electromagnetic latching system according to claim 1, characterizedin that the distance between said ferrite disks is greater than thediameter of said ferrite disks, and that the length of said coil is lessthan half the distance between said ferrite disks.

3. Electromagnetic latching system according to claim 1, characterizedin that the reversing-switch is of the three-position type, that is, anopen, mechanically stable position in which all the coils aredeenergized, and a pair of closed positions in which energizing currentis supplied to all the coils, said last-named two closed positions beingmaintained only by a voluntary action of the user, the direction of flowof the energizing current through the coils depending on the selectedclosed position of said reversing switch.

4. Electromagnetic latching system according to claim 3, wherein saidreversing switch comprises a pivoting control shaft urged by springmeans to its inoperative position, characteriaed in that said controlshaft is rigid on the one hand with a lever arm carrying a projectionextending into the path of a corresponding heel carried by the latchmember actuatable by means of said lock key, and on the other hand witha pair of movable contacts each comprising a metal blade supporting apair of contacts adapted, in the inoperative position, to lie betweentwo pairs of fixed contact studs, without touching them, said fixedcontact studs comprising two current input studs and two current outputstuds and being connected in parallel to all the coils, said movablecontacts being adapted, in either of their transistory contactpositions, to interconnect said input contact studs to said outputcontact studs.

5. Electromagnetic latching system according to claim 3, characterizedin that said control shaft of said reversing switch and said controlmember are rigid with each other.

6. Electromagnetic latching system according to claim 1, characterizedin that an inertia switch having normally open contacts is connected inparallel to said control coils and adapted to energize said coils with acurrent flowing in the door unlatching direction in case of crash orsevere shock applied to the vehicle.

7. Electromagnetic latching system according to claim 1, characterizedin that said control member incorporates bodies of magnetic material inorder to distribute the lines of force of the magnetic field in such amanner as to produce the maximum power in said assembly, said bodiescomprising on the one hand the entire yoke or spool of the coil,

on the other hand a yoke-forming case adapted to close the magneticcircuits of each ferrite disk.

1. A system for electromagnetically latching and unlatching the lockedand unlocked condition of all the doors of a vehicle, at least one ofthe front doors being adapted to be locked by means of an external key,each door comprising to this end a pivoting latch member for latchingthe door opening control device, said latch member being connectedthrough a link to a control member comprising a coil adapted to beenergized from a current source of the vehicle and movable between apair of coaxial aligned ferrite disks or permanent magnets having anaxial magnetization and so directed that the action exerted by saidferrites or permanent magnets on the coil is additive, the reversal ofthe current flow through the coil being attended by a reversal of themovement of said coil, this system being characterized in that all thecoils are connected in parallel to the pair of output terminals of atleast one four-pole reversing switch of the transitory-action,front-contact type, of which the pair of input terminals are connectEdto the two terminals of the source of current of the vehicle saidcontrol member constituting a compact unit separate from the lock, saidreversing switch being adapted to be actuated on the one hand by meansof the external key provided for locking one of the front doors, throughthe medium of the corresponding latch member, and on the other hand bymeans of a control member accessible from the interior of the vehicle.2. Electromagnetic latching system according to claim 1, characterizedin that the distance between said ferrite disks is greater than thediameter of said ferrite disks, and that the length of said coil is lessthan half the distance between said ferrite disks.
 3. Electromagneticlatching system according to claim 1, characterized in that thereversing-switch is of the three-position type, that is, an open,mechanically stable position in which all the coils are deenergized, anda pair of closed positions in which energizing current is supplied toall the coils, said last-named two closed positions being maintainedonly by a voluntary action of the user, the direction of flow of theenergizing current through the coils depending on the selected closedposition of said reversing switch.
 4. Electromagnetic latching systemaccording to claim 3, wherein said reversing switch comprises a pivotingcontrol shaft urged by spring means to its inoperative position,characterized in that said control shaft is rigid on the one hand with alever arm carrying a projection extending into the path of acorresponding heel carried by the latch member actuatable by means ofsaid lock key, and on the other hand with a pair of movable contactseach comprising a metal blade supporting a pair of contacts adapted, inthe inoperative position, to lie between two pairs of fixed contactstuds, without touching them, said fixed contact studs comprising twocurrent input studs and two current output studs and being connected inparallel to all the coils, said movable contacts being adapted, ineither of their transistory contact positions, to interconnect saidinput contact studs to said output contact studs.
 5. Electromagneticlatching system according to claim 3, characterized in that said controlshaft of said reversing switch and said control member are rigid witheach other.
 6. Electromagnetic latching system according to claim 1,characterized in that an inertia switch having normally open contacts isconnected in parallel to said control coils and adapted to energize saidcoils with a current flowing in the door unlatching direction in case ofcrash or severe shock applied to the vehicle.
 7. Electromagneticlatching system according to claim 1, characterized in that said controlmember incorporates bodies of magnetic material in order to distributethe lines of force of the magnetic field in such a manner as to producethe maximum power in said assembly, said bodies comprising on the onehand the entire yoke or spool of the coil, on the other hand ayoke-forming case adapted to close the magnetic circuits of each ferritedisk.